CAMARILLO, Calif., May 23, 2016 – Gold Coast Health Plan (GCHP) is sponsoring two programs under its newly created Alternative Resources for Community Health (ARCH) initiative. The goal of ARCH is to invest in the health and wellness of Ventura County through a number of incentives, expanded treatment options, and sponsorships.  The ARCH initiative aligns with other factors besides clinical treatment including social, economic, and environmental factors which influence wellness.

“It’s not enough for us to treat people when they’re sick,” said Dale Villani, GCHP’s chief executive officer. “Keeping people healthy means more than just medical care, it involves whether they have a hot meal, a place to sleep, and the necessary support systems. We feel ARCH contributes to building a healthy community.”

GCHP’s first sponsorship was awarded to the National Health Foundation’s (NHF) recuperative care program. NHF is a Los Angeles-based charity focused on addressing the health care issues of underserved populations, like the homeless. The recuperative care program focuses on providing a safe environment at discharge for those who are homeless or do not have adequate shelter when they are leaving the hospital.

The program has the potential to serve as many as 275 people per year with an average length of stay of 10 to 14 days. NHF had been working on a needs assessment for Ventura County and found that about 95 out of 379 hospital patients would qualify for recuperative care every month. Their president and chief executive officer Kelly Bruno said, “NHF is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Gold Coast Health Plan to bring this much needed program to Ventura County.”

The Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC), a hospital trade association that serves the political, economic and educational needs of hospitals in southern Calif., is partnering with NHF on the project. HASC’s regional vice president for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties Audra Strickland said, “HASC is pleased to partner with Gold Coast Health Plan and NHF to address an unmet need within our community.  This program will improve the quality of life for some of the most disadvantaged residents in Ventura County.”

GCHP’s second sponsorship was awarded to the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s (VCAAA) Senior Nutrition Program (SNP). The project – Nutritious Meals for Older Adults in Ventura County - is an extension of SNP and provides additional nutritionally compliant meals to seniors. VCAAA estimates that about 86,240 people in Ventura County or approximately 10% of the population in the county are food insecure: meaning they lack consistent access to adequate food due to lack of money or other resources. GCHP’s sponsorship will provide an additional 2,666 nutritionally compliant meals to seniors who reside in Ventura County through SNP.

VCAAA’s Director, Victoria Jump said, “For those who are extremely frail and vulnerable, this program helps to reduce hunger, food insecurity and promotes socialization by breaking down barriers of isolation and loneliness.”

With the approval of GCHP’s governing board, the Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission (VCMMCC), the Plan awarded NHF $38,700 and VCAAA $20,000

About Gold Coast Health Plan

Gold Coast Health Plan is an independent public entity created by a Ventura County ordinance and authorized through Federal Legislation. GCHP is not a county agency. The county Board of Supervisors approved implementation of a County Organized Health System (COHS) model, transitioning from fee-for-service Medi-Cal to managed care on June 2, 2009. The purpose of GCHP is to serve Medi-Cal beneficiaries, enhance the quality of health care, provide greater access, improve service and provide choice. The Plan provides health benefits to more than 204,000 beneficiaries throughout the county. To learn more about GCHP, visit: www.goldcoasthealthplan.org.

About the National Health Foundation
The National Health Foundation (NHF) has a vision that every individual, regardless of who they are or where they live, can achieve the highest level of health through a comprehensive and compassionate system of care. The NHF (www.NationalHealthFoundation.org) is an independent, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to improving and enhancing the health care of the underserved.  

About the Hospital Association of Southern California
The Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC), founded in 1923, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) regional trade association. HASC is dedicated to effectively advancing the interests of hospitals in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. We are comprised of more than 170 member hospitals and health systems, plus numerous related professional associations and associate members, all with a common goal: to improve the operating environment for hospitals and the health status of the communities they serve.

About the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging
The Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, an agency of the County of Ventura, is the principal agency in Ventura County charged with the responsibility to promote the development and implementation of a comprehensive coordinated system of care that enables older individuals and their caregivers to live in a community-based setting and to advocate for the needs of those 60 years of age and older in the county, providing leadership and promoting citizen involvement in the planning process as well as in the delivery of services.